Fluidic controller for liquid cooled garment

ABSTRACT

A fluidic control system for regulating the temperature of fluid for cooling a garment having a fluid signal amplifier, a vortex value and an impact modulator. Cold fluid is throttled by the vortex valve and the output from the vortex valve is passed to one input port of the impact modulator. Warm water is fed to a second input port of the impact modulator and the stream of cold fluid impacts with the stream of warm fluid and the resulting mixture flows from the output port of the impact modulator to tubing in the garment.

United States Patent Staar 1 Apr. 25, 1972 [541 FLUIDIC CONTROLLER FORLIQUID 3,481,352 12/1969 Starr ..137/s1.5 COOLED GARMENT 3,515,0026/1970 Palmer.... ....137/s1.5 x 3,515,158 6/1970 Utz ..l37/8l.5 [721James Paul- 3,521,655 7/1970 Glaze ..137/s 1.5 [7 3] Assignee: TheUnited States of America as represented by the Secretary oi the NavyPrimary Examiner-William R. Cline Filed: Jan. 21 1971 Attorney-R. S.Sc1asc1a, H. H. Losche and Paul S. Colhgnon [21] Appl. No.: 108,498 [57]ABSTRACT A fluidic control system for regulating the temperature offluid [52] US. Cl ..l37/8l.5, 236/12 for cooling a garment having afluid signal amplifier, a vortex 1:15c 1/16, F15: value and an impactmodulator. Cold fluid is throttled by the [58] Field of Search l .5; 2vortex valve d th t t f th vortex valve i passed t one input port of theimpact modulator. Warm water is fed to [56] References Cited a secondinput port of the impact modulator and the stream of UNITED STATESPATENTS cold fluid impacts with the stream of warm fluid and theresulting mixture flows from the output port of the impact 3,091,3935/1963 Sparrow 1 37/8 1.5 X modulator to tubing in the garment,3,383,038 4/1968 ..l37/8l.5X 3,478,960 I 1/1969 Taylor ..l37/8l.5 X 3Claims, 1 Drawing Figure TO VENT TO SUIT WARM SUPPLY PATENTED APR 2 5I972 ICOLD SUPPLY l TO VENT TO SUIT WARM SUPPLY INVENTOR. JAMES B. STARRAT TDRNEY8 CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS Patent applicationof James B. Starr entitled, Temperature Sensor For Space Suit, Ser. No.96,874, filed Dec. 10, I970.

Patent application of James B. Starr entitled, Temperature ControlSystem for Space Suit, Ser. No. 92,469, filed Nov. 24, 1970.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to acontroller for a liquid cooled garment and more particularly to fluidicelements for providing throttling and mixing of liquids. Throttling isaccomplished by a differential vortex valve and mixing is performed byan impact flow modulator.

The use of fluidic elements in cooling and heating systems is well-knownin the art. For example, in U. S. Pat. No. 3,442,278, which issued May6, 1969, to Rudolph Petersen, there is shown a fluidic device forswitching the flow of a fluid to one or the other of two different pathsdepending upon the temperature of the fluid. Also in U. S. Pat. No.3,091,393, which issued May 28, 1963, to Hubert T. Sparrow, there isshown a hot water supply system that utilizes a fluid amplifier at a hotwater tank.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a fluidiccontroller for a liquid cooled garment and includes a signal amplifier,a differential vortex valve and an impact flow modulator. The signalamplifier is provided for magnification of a fluidic signal generated bya skin-temperature sensor, and the outputs of the signal amplifier areprovided as inputs to a vortex valve. The vortex valve is provided forthrottling of a cold supply of fluid. A conical flow diverter isprovided to channel the output of the vortex valve to a vent and animpact modulator. Mixing of warm and cold fluid streams occurs at theimpact flow modulator. Warm fluid is supplied at constant pressure toone inlet of the modulator, and cold fluid is supplied at varyingpressures to the other inlet. An increase in cold fluid pressureincreases the ratio of cold fluid to warm fluid flowing out of themodulator and, likewise, a decrease in cold fluid pressure decreases theratio. The required variations in cold fluid pressure are produced bychanging the flow resistance of the differential vortex valve.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The FIGURE is a schematicrepresentation of a preferred embodiment of the present inventionshowing a signal amplifier, a vortex valve and an impact modulator.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT and outlet 17 of amplifier 11'is connected with control port 21 and outlet 18 is connected withcontrol port 22. Vortex valve 12 is provided with a vortex chamber 23having a radial flow distribution manifold 24 around its circumference.A supply of cold fluid entering inlet 25 is selectively switched bycontrol ports 21 and 22. Vortical flow of the cold fluid flowingdirectly into the vortex chamber 23 results in a high flow impedancecondition and radial flow of the cold fluid through vortex chamber 23from the distribution manifold 24 results in a low flow impedancecondition. By way of example, vortex valve 12 mi t be of the typedescribed in U. S. Pat. No. 3 481,352, enti ed, "Fluid Apparatus, whichissued Dec. 2, 1969, to James B. Starr.

A conical flow diverter 26 is provided to divide vortex valve exit andvent flow. A vent passage 27 is provided in impact modulator l3 and ventflow from vortex valve 12 enters passage 27 and then is returned to thecold supply of fluid. The vortex value flow is connected to a firstinlet port 28 in impact modulator l3, and a second inlet port 29 isprovided in impact modulator 13 for supplying a warm supply of fluid.The mixture of fluid from inlet ports 28 and 29 flows out of port 31 andis carried to the garment being cooled. In operation, the device of thepresent invention might be used in a system of the type described in theabove-referenced application entitled, Temperature Control System ForSpace Suit. A temperature sensor, of the type described in theabove-referenced application entitled, Temperature Sensor For SpaceSuit," is positioned adjacent the skin of a person wearing a garment andthis temperature sensor regulates the flow of fluid into control port 15of signal amplifier l1. Amplifier 11, in turn. regulates the output ofvortex valve 12 which functions as a cold fluid throttle. Impactmodulator 13 functions as a mixing valve where cold fluid from vortexvalve 12 is mixed with a warm supply of fluid to provide fluid at adesired temperature which flows through tubing in a garment. Warm fluidis supplied to the second inlet port 29 of impact modulator 13 atconstant pressure and cold fluid is supplied to inlet port 28 at varyingpressures. An increase in cold fluid pressure increases the ratio ofcold fluid to warm fluid flowing out of port 31 of modulator l3 and,likewise, a decrease in cold fluid pressure decreases the ratio.

In order to construct a small, compact controller, the fluidic elementsll, 12, and 13 can be assembled as a three layer device. The top layercan be the signal amplifier 11, the middle layer can be vortex valve 12and the bottom layer can be the impact modulator l3.

Iclairn:

l. A fluid control system for regulating fluid in a garment comprising,

fluid signal amplifier means having supply inlet means, control'inletmeans and first and second outlet means,

a vortex valve having a vortex chamber, inlet means for receiving asupply of cold fluid into said vortex chamber. first and second controlports for controlling vortex action in said vortex chamber, and anoutlet port for discharging cold fluid from said vortex chamber. saidfirst and second outlet means of said signal amplifier means beingconnected, respectively, to said first and second control ports of saidvortex valve, and

an impact modulator having first and second inlet ports and an outletport, said outlet port of said vortex valve being connected with saidfirst input port of said impact modulator, and said second input port ofsaid impact modulator being connected to a supply of warm fluid wherebycold fluid entering said fust input port impacts with warm fluidentering said second input port and the resulting mixture flowing fromsaid impact modulator outlet port is temperature regulated in accordancewith the signal received at said control inlet means.

2. A fluid control system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first andsecond inlet ports in said impact modulator are opposed one another.

3. A fluid control system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said signalamplifier means, said vortex valve and said impact modulator are mountedin contiguous layers.

P641050 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE (5/69) 1 CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION HUNDER RULE 322 Patent 3,658,095 Dated 5 April 1972 JAMES B STARRInventor(s) It is certified that error appears in the above-identifiedpatent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

First page of Patent the inventor's name JAMES B. S'IAAR should read 7JAMES B; STARR Two Placee Signed and sealed this 10th day of October1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents

1. A fluid control system for regulating fluid in a garment comprising,fluid signal amplifier means having supply inlet means, control inletmeans and first and second outlet means, a vortex valve having a vortexchamber, inlet means for receiving a supply of cold fluid into saidvortex chamber, first and second control ports for controlling vortexaction in said vortex chamber, and an outlet port for discharging coldfluid from said vortex chamber, said first and second outlet means ofsaid signal amplifier means being connected, respectively, to said firstand second control ports of said vortex valve, and an impact modulatorhaving first and second inlet ports and an outlet port, said outlet portof said vortex valve being connected with said first input port of saidimpact modulator, and said second input pOrt of said impact modulatorbeing connected to a supply of warm fluid whereby cold fluid enteringsaid first input port impacts with warm fluid entering said second inputport and the resulting mixture flowing from said impact modulator outletport is temperature regulated in accordance with the signal received atsaid control inlet means.
 2. A fluid control system as set forth inclaim 1 wherein said first and second inlet ports in said impactmodulator are opposed one another.
 3. A fluid control system as setforth in claim 1 wherein said signal amplifier means, said vortex valveand said impact modulator are mounted in contiguous layers.